Garment-stretcher.



PATENTED SEPT, 18, 1906.

F. J, LEIGHT. GARMENT STRETOHER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29.1906

. INVENTOR fiea'nkklffifi BY M ATTORNEYS WITNESSES 7H5 mum's PETERS co.,WASHIHGTUN, a c.

ITNITEI) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK J. LEIGHT, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO J. R. FASSIG,

' OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

GARMENT-STRETCHER.

Application filed January 29,

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. LEIGHT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Garment-Stretchers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements ingarment-stretchers, and more particularly to a devicefor stretching andcreasing trousers.

The object of the invention is to provide a stretcher which willefliciently crease and stretch trousers in a comparatively short timewithout distorting the shape or otherwise injuring the same.

Another feature resides in the provision of aflexible or resilientboard, which is adapted to be bent or folded so that its free ends cometogether, thus providing a smooth and continuous body over which thetrousers are stretched. Also by provision of this board one or more dampcloths may be used to more effectually carry out the stretching andcreasing operation.

Finally, the object of the invention is to provide a stretching devicewhich will be strong and durable, simple and comparatively inexpensiveto manufacture, and one in which the several parts will not be liable toget out of Working order.

\Vith the above and other objects in view the invention consists of thenovel details of construction and operation, a preferable em bodiment ofwhich is described in the specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, Wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the stretcherin its flat or open position. Fig. 2 is a side or rear elevation of thestretcher bent or folded, with its ends secured together and a pair oftrousers arranged thereon in the stretching position; and Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional view taken on the line as so of Fig. 1.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates a flexible or resilient board,which tapers from one end to the other, thus producing a broad end and anarrow end, so as to have somewhat the general shape of the leg of apair of trousers. This board may be formed in various Ways and ofdifferent materials. However, I have found it more practical andexpedient to construct the board of a number of transversely-arrangedslats 2. These Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

1906. Serial No. 298,409.

At each end oflongitudinally of the board and at each end bent over andembedded in the outer sides or edges of the strips 4 at 16 slats andstrips are securely held together and a flexible or resilient boardprovided.

Through the ends of the binding-strips 4 suitable bolts 5 are passed, soas to project some distance thereabove. These bolts pass through slots7, provided in the ends of clamps or bars 8 and are threaded to receivewing-nuts 9. In the upper face of each clamp 8 a metal plate 10 isembedded and cut out around the slots, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.The slots 7 are longer than the slots 6, and the metal plates 10 areturned down, so as to close one end of each of the slots 7, as indicatedat 11. Each slot 7 has such a length as to permit the clamp to be movedlongitudinally or transversely of the board. to withdraw the slot 6 fromabout its bolt 5. The clamps thus arranged are freeto swing to one sideand allow the trousers to be readily placed on the board. While theclamps are free to swing, they are at the same time still connected tothe board by the closures at the. ends of the slots 7.

In carrying out the stretching operation the board. is placed as shownin Fig. 1that is, disposed flat-and the broadest portions 3 of the slats2 uppermost. The wing-nuts 9 having been loosened and the clamps 8 swungto one side, a suitable cloth 12, (see Fig. 2,) first dampened, is laidon the board. The trousers properly folded so as to crease in thedesired places are laid on this cloth, the same being indicated by thenumeral 13 in Fig. 2. A second cloth l4, suitably dampened, is thenplaced on top of the trousers. It is to be understood that both clothsmay be used or either one used alone, if desired. However, the bestresults are produced by using the two cloths. The clamps 8 are now Inthis way the swung into position and moved so that their slots 6 receivethe bolts 5. The wing-nuts 9 not having been removed are screwed downonto the plates 10, thus firmly securing the clamps in place. By thussecuring the clamps the trousers and cloths are firmly fastened betweenthe same and the strips 4. It is of course necessaryto have the clothsand trousers as smooth as possible and to stretch them as tight aspossible by hand between the clamps. The parts now having been madeready the board 1 is inverted an bent .or folded so as to bring the freeends toward each other and the strips 4 together, as shown in Fig. 2.The tapered spaces between the slats 2 permit the board to readily bendand the wires prevent sharp angles or rough places resulting from thebending.

. This bending of the board elongates the same to such an extent as todraw the cloths and the legs of the trousers tightly over its outersurface. An eye 5, carried by one of the strips 4, is engaged by a hook16, carried by the other strip, so that the board is held creased willretain their shape for some time until stretching and creasing are againnecessary.

What I claim is 1. In a device for stretching trousers, a boardcomprising a plurality of transverse slats, wires for flexiblyconnecting the slats, binding-strips. arranged at each end of the boardengaged by the wires, and clamping devices engaging with the strips forholding a pair of trousers on the board.

2. In a device for stretching trousers, a flexible body composed-of aplurality of transversely-disposed slats, flexible members extending theentire length of said body and which bind all of said slats together,and clamping members for clamping a garment upon said stretching device.

3. A device for stretching trousers comprising a plurality oftransversely-disposed slats, the outer faces of which are wider than theinner faces thereof, flexible, means for binding all of said slatstogether, means for securing a garment upon said stretching device, andmeans for securing the ends of said stretching device directly to eachother when said device is bent to bring said ends together.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK J. LEIGHT. Witnesses:

A. R. WULFF, J. R. FAssIG.

